WFS Meeting in Upper Teesdale 2005
Rhinanthus minor ssp monticola(Yellow rattle)
Kobresia simpliuscula(False sedge)
Peucedanum ostruthium (Masterwort)
Bartsia alpina (Alpine Bartsia)
Pedicularis palustris (Marsh Lousewort)
Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp incarnata(Early Marsh-orchid)
Eriophorum latifolium (Broad-leaved Cotton-grass)
Carex pallescens(Pale Sedge)
Morning June 21st: To Cetry Bank
The next stage of our Teesdale expedition would takes us to one of the special areas where some of the more famous plants grow. On our way there we stopped to see Rhinanthus minor ssp monticola (Yellow rattle) a slender plant with no shoots from its the axils where its narrow leaves join the stem. Also we passed a boggy area where Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp incarnata (Early Marsh-orchid) grew. Mr Jones alerted us to the doubt in the minds of some of our national orchid experts who doubt the split between the six D. incarnata sub-species can really be made as they do tend to merge one into another. For my part I have never quite understood why this, one of the later Orchids to flower should be called "Early" nor why its name should suggest a marsh habitat when it will grow perfectly well in dunes and grassland as well. In that bog there were more than a few excellent plants of Pedicularis palustris (Marsh Lousewort) and many common sedges.
At the farm itself we saw some well naturalised Peucedanum ostruthium (Masterwort) on top of a wall and more conveniently by the side of the road.
After parking at the farm we set off for Cetry bank and en route we had noted some of the commoner sedges such as Carex curta (White Sedge), Carex hostiana (Tawny Sedge) Carex pallescens (pale Sedge) whose bracts have five or more little "ripples" on the outside as an interesting diagnostic, and Festuca ovina (Sheeps fescue) plus Festuca rubra ssp comutatus (Red Fescue) a plant I would never have identified in a month of Sundays.
Morning June 21st 2005: Cetry Bank
Saxifraga aizodes (Yellow saxifrage), Bartsia alpina (Alpine Bartsia), Primula farinosa (Bird's-eye Primrose), Eriophorum latifolium and Kobresia simpliciuscula (False-sedge) were a few of the delights of this special river bank along with the delightful Carex capillaris (Hair Sedge). Although by this time the sun was shining there was a stiff breeze which made photography of delicate plants like the Hair sedge quite impossible.
Primula farinosa, a plant confined to a band across the limestone of Northern England, was almost finished and only one floret was seen in full flower. Saxifraga aizoides, which in the mountain passes of Scotland can be seen cascading down rocks at the side of the road, had only just started to flower and again only one or two florets of this plant were seen. Several perfect plants of Bartsia alpina were dotted around the bank and the unpronounceable Kobresia simplicuiscula was in excellent fettle too. Kobresia simpliciuscula is the False Sedge presumably because at first glance it looks like a sedge similar to Carex dioica. Closer examination reveals separate spikelets which are close together.
Mr Jones reckoned that the flowering periods were up to two weeks behind in Teesdale but Gentiana verna (Spring gentian), which is a famous favourite plant of these parts was well over. However, just to remind everyone what they missed, a photograph taken during its very short flowering May flowering period at the other main site on The Burren in County Clare, Ireland in May 2005 is included at the end of the account on Page 6.